The invention relates to a pond insert device or pond insert, particularly for insertion in a garden pond, having at least one motor-driven pump.
Pond pump systems of this type generally have an electromotively driven pump and are e.g. used for operating a fountain or the like with water collected in the garden pond. Alternative uses occur e.g. in connection with pond ventilation or aeration or with regards to the circulation and filtering of the pond water. For this purpose the water can be drawn in in the vicinity of an inlet connection of the pump and can be delivered through an outlet connection under a pressure raised in accordance with the particular use.
The problem of the invention is to provide a pond insert of the afore-mentioned type with a high service or use value.
This problem is solved by a pond insert having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are given in the subclaims, whose wording is made by reference into part of the present description.
In the case of a pond insert according to the invention, the preferably electromotively driven pump has on the outlet side a first outlet connection and additionally at least one second outlet connection. Such a construction with several, preferably two separately usable outlet connections represents a considerable extension of the use possibilities of pond pumps. Firstly, when necessary, several, optionally different functions can be simultaneously fulfilled with a single pump. Secondly the outlet connections can be designed in different ways with regards to the dimensioning, connection possibilities, passage cross-sections or passage quantities, etc., so that there are more variable connection possibilities with a better adaptation to desired functions. Several connections located at different points of the pump and optionally directed into different directions also create for a user more scope or latitude regarding the installation of such pond inserts and facilitate the connection of optionally provided, further functional units to the outlet connections.
It can in particular be provided that the first outlet connection and a second outlet connection are oriented or orientable substantially at right angles to one another and preferably one outlet connection is oriented or orientable substantially parallel and the second outlet connection substantially perpendicular to a standing surface of the pump. Thus, in the case of a regular standing position of the pond insert, one connection is oriented substantially vertically upwards and the other substantially horizontally.
According to a further development, at least one of the outlet connections is variably orientable relative to a standing surface of the pump. As a result of the preferably continuously monodimensionally or multidimensionally variable orientation over a suitable angular range, in simple manner it is e.g. possible to vary the projection direction of a connected jet or the connection can be advantageously oriented relative to a hose to be connected in such a way that the hose is connectable without an inadmissibly great bending or kinking. The variable orientation can e.g. be achieved in that the connection takes place to a flexible line portion fixable with respect to its bending position. Preferably, at least one outlet connection is provided on a preferably substantially dimensionally stable, water-carrying extension connected in directionally variable manner to a discharge connection socket of the pump. Preferably the discharge connection socket and the extension are connected by means of a water-carrying ball joint. The ball joint is in particular held frictionally in a position variable by overcoming the frictional force. The variable orientability of an outlet connection can also be advantageous with pumps having only a single discharge connection.
Another possibility for implementing a variable orientation of one or more discharge connections is provided in a further development in that with the pond insert is associated a standing foot means, which defines a standing surface for the pump and to which the pump can be fixed in movable and/or detachable manner. The standing foot means or standing platform can be so constructed that the pump is rotatable or pivotable with respect to the standing foot about a substantially standing surface-parallel axis. Thus, a connection socket or outlet connection oriented transversely to the pivoting axis and provided on the pump can be modified with respect to its orientation in space by pivoting the pump in the receptacle of the standing foot means. The receptacle for the pivotable equipment part in the standing foot means can e.g. have several locking positions for pivoting the equipment part preventing an unintentional pivoting. A standing foot can be an integral component of the pump or its casing.
According to a further development, in the case of at least one of the outlet connections, the flow quantity is adjustable independently of the pump drive. This permits a variable water delivery, even when using inexpensive pumps having a constant delivery. In particular, the passage cross-section of at least one outlet connection can be variable, preferably in a continuous manner, e.g. by means of an associated, preferably manually operable regulating valve.
It can be particularly advantageous if the first and the second discharge connection are so constructed in intercommunicating manner, that the flow quantity through a discharge connection is adjustable by regulating the flow quantity or cross-section of the other discharge connection. Thus, it is possible to operate one of the discharge connections with a constant flow cross-section and modify or adjust the flow quantity through said discharge connection, which can in particular lead to a fountain or the like, in such a way that the flow cross-section or quantity of the other discharge connection is e.g. variable through said regulating valve. In this case the other discharge connection acts as a bypass, by means of which in the case of a constant pump capacity the flow can be influenced by a connection with a constant cross-section. The regulating valve can, by means of a line or tube, be removed from the pump or the influenced outlet connection, so that e.g. the pump with a smaller line length and consequently with a lower pressure loss can be provided with one discharge connection on a fountain at a difficultly accessible place in the pond and an optionally flexible line can lead from the second discharge connection to the regulating valve at an easily accessible place in the pond. From the latter the delivery can be modified through the first discharge connection according to the bypass principle. If the cross-sectionally variable outlet connection is easily accessible, the regulating valve used for modifying the cross-section can be fitted, e.g. screwed directly thereto. It is also possible to construct bothor all the pump outlet connections with a variable flow cross-section, e.g. by associating corresponding regulating valves.
According to a further development, the inlet connection is constructed as an inlet socket with a screw thread or a coupling connection. Alternatively or additionally at least one discharge connection can be constructed as a discharge socket with a screw thread or a coupling connection. This makes it possible in simple manner, if necessary, to operate the pump for varying functions and/or with other operating parameters. For example, one pump discharge connection can be further branched and/or by means of a line, particularly a flexible line, such as a hose, laid or located at a point further removed from the pump. By means of an inlet connection equipped with a screw or coupling connection, e.g. a water source outside the pond can be connected. Thus, e.g. by means of a higher feed pressure, the delivery at the pump outlet and therefore e.g. the projection height of a fountain can be changed.
An advantageous use of a pump with several, particularly two outlet connections can consist of the simultaneous operation of two functions, e.g. the operation of a fountain or the like by means of one of the discharge connections and a preferably simultaneous pond aeration by means of another discharge connection. The pond aeration can advantageously be brought about in that on at least one of the discharge connections is fitted a jet suction nozzle means operating in the manner of a water jet pump and having at least one connection for an air intake oriented transversely to the jet direction and which can project over the water surface. Air is drawn in in accordance with the known water jet pump principle.
According to an advantageous development the pond insert has at least one container connected or connectable to a casing fixed to the pump for receiving in particular pourable weighting material such as gravel, stones, etc. The construction of the pond insert with a container for receiving the weighting material makes it unnecessary for the user to fill a separate container with weighting material, which is a method already used, but which is cumbersome and which then involves placing a pond insert in the container on or in the weighting material. As a result of the advantageous structural combination of pump and container, which can be brought about by a non-detachable, but preferably by a detachable, rigid connection, handling is significantly simplified. In particular, a container can be matched to the pump provided for the connection as regards dimensions, arrangement of connections, weight and/or the like.
The container can e.g. have a reception space for weighting material in a base part of the pond insert. According to a further development, the container has a basket-like construction. The pump, at least with the area of the inlet connection, can be positioned substantially within the container or the connection can face the container. Preferably the container has side walls surrounding the pump, whose height is adapted to that of the pump connected to the container in such a way that the pump can be substantially completely covered by loose material and/or weighting material received in the container. As a result, for an outside observer, the pump is not visible or is only visible by a discharge connection socket possibly projecting over the weighting material, so that a pond equipped with the insert has a natural appearance. Preferably, the container upper edge is higher than the essential part of the received pump or its casing.
In the case of embodiments with a container fillable with pourable weighting material, advantageously with the container filled, an inlet opening of the pump serving as an intake opening is located within the weighting material or is at least directed against it. Thus, a filter mechanism upstream of the inlet opening is formed and the weighting material can simultaneously serve as an optionally coarse prefilter for the liquid drawn in. The actual container or its wall which is broken at several points can fulfil a prefilter function and as a result of the structure of the container wall material and its mesh size or opening width, the fineness of the filtering can be determined.
According to a further development the container is permanently shape-variable and preferably the container is formed by a netting or sack. The container can be filled with the weighting material by means of an opening.
The shape-variable container is preferably constructed in such a way that it is placed or is placeable below a standing surface of the pump. Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous for the positioning of a pond insert at a point with a non-horizontal and/or non-planar substrate. As a result of the shape adaptability or variability of the container, the weighting material can be shaken into place in the container in such a way that its underside is adapted to the substrate and its top is oriented in desired manner and particularly roughly horizontally with the standing surface of the pump.